Gurgaon: Streetlights on dark stretch in two weeks

The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) lit up a five-kilometre stretch in the Old Gurgaon area, which used to be the safe haven for chain snatchers and other anti-social elements. HT reports.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) lit up a five-kilometre stretch in the Old Gurgaon area, which used to be the safe haven for chain snatchers and other anti-social elements.

HT Image

The civic body swung into action after Hindustan Times carried out a 21-day campaign against the lack of safety measures for commuters on various dark stretches across the city.

Commuters had to face many problems in the absence of streetlights along the five-kilometre road from Bhuteshwar temple near Sadar in old Gurgaon to Sector 9-A.

According to local commuters, 65% streetlights were not working on the stretch, where snatching and robbery had become a routine affair.

“We hope the new LED lights will bring relief to commuters. Other roads like Old Delhi Road between Mahavir Chowk and Atul Kataria Chowk are also on our priority list. Very soon, LED lights will be installed there as well,” said Vimal Yadav, mayor.

The total cost of the project was Rs 86 lakh and the MCG completed the work within two weeks.

Earlier, a committee of executive engineers appointed by the MCG chief engineer BS Singroha had submitted a report about the length of the stretches and the number of lights required on the stretches.

The finance committee of the municipal councillors headed by the mayor had also approved a plan of R86 lakh.

On May 27, HT reported about how dark stretches in Gurgaon become unsafe after sunset. After our team took up the matter with the Gurgaon police, they identified 22 spots in east, west, and south police zones where there were no streetlights or were faulty ones.

HT along with the Gurgaon police raised the issue with Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda), MCG and Public Works Department (PWD). Gurgaon commissioner of police Alok Mittal wrote to the MCG commissioner, Huda and senior officials of PWD about the problems of streetlights.

Some dark stretches under MCG’s jurisdiction are the roads leading towards DLF Phase-3 through Nathupur from MG Road, Laxmi Garden, Shivaji Park, Gandhi Nagar, Sethi Hospital, Shiv Nagar, Subhash Nagar, Jyoti Park, areas around Mini Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk, Sohna Chowk, Mianwali Colony, Dhanvapur, Bazgera, Prakashpuri and other areas in old and new Gurgaon.